This invention relates to a lid for closing a processing container having a base in which a spigot is provided for receiving a rotary processing tool for comminuting food materials, the processing tool having in its area close to the lid a first coupling member adapted to be coupled to a second coupling member of a driven shaft when the lid is placed on the processing container for closing, the driven shaft extending outwardly through a bore in the lid and having at its outer free end a third coupling member adapted to be coupled to a fourth coupling member of a drive shaft of an electrically powered drive mechanism, in particular a hand-held mixer or immersion blender.
A lid of this type is known in the art from the comminuting device disclosed in DE-A-41 28 456. This lid includes equally a driven shaft having at its end close to the processing container a second coupling member which is in meshing engagement with a first coupling member provided on the processing tool when the lid is closed. The driven shaft is carried and located centrally in the lid by means of a bearing element.
When a lid of this type is cleaned by hand or in a dish washer, food residues may enter the plain bearing between the driven shaft and the bearing element where they can be hardly removed, which involves the risk of premature wear of the bearing arrangement and, by reason of the attendant increased bearing friction, requires the drive mechanism to deliver increased power resulting in increased noise in operation. Moreover, in operation old food residues may travel from the bearing arrangement to the processing container unless elaborate sealing elements or very close-tolerance fits are utilized for the bearing.